Farm-gate



(No Model.) 2 sheet -sum 1.v

J. R. MEANS. FARM GATE.

giu/ew 544/0 116cm 1 No. 470,067. Patented Mar. 1, 1892.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(N0 Modei.)

'J. R. MEANS. FARM GATE,

Patented Mar. 1, 1-892.

UNITE STATES Fries.

'ATENT FARM- GATE.

SPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 470,067, dated March 1,1892.

Application filed October 29, 1891. Serial No. 410,261- (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN R. MEANS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Saybrook, in the countyof McLean and State of Illinois,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Farm-Gates; and Idohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has relation to improvements in sliding gates; and it hasfor its general object to provide a gate of a peculiar constructionembodying devices whereby it may be readily opened and closed.

To the attainment of the foregoing and other objects the inventionconsists in the peculiar construction, certain novel combinations, andthe adaptation of parts hereinafter described, and particularly pointedout in the claims appended.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of myimproved gate in a closed position. Fig. 2 is a front end elevation ofthe same in an open position. Fig. 3 is a top plan view. Fig. i is anenlarged detail transverse section taken through the guide-bars I, thebar K, and the gudgeou J in the plane indicated by the line 00 an inFig. 1.

Referringby letter -to the said drawings, A indicates the standard ,ofmy improved gate, which is arranged at a suitable distance from the gateor latch post 13, and is preferably of the approximate proportionalheight illustrated.

Journaled upon a fixed shaft upon the standard A, as better shown inFig. l of the drawings, is a friction-wheel C,'which is preferablyprovided wit-h a flanged periphery to prevent lateral displacement ofthe gate in operation.

D indicates my improved gate, which comprises the upright end bars E,the upper longitudinal rail or bar G, and the lower longitudinal railsor bars F, which are suitably connected at their ends to the saiduprights.

As better illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawirgs, the upper longitudinalrail or bar G is not connected at its forward end to the for- 50 wardupright E, but merges into an upright branch H, which extends parallelwith the forward uprightE and serves, in conjunction therewith, to forma vertical guideway, which merges at its lower end into the horizontaland longitudinal guideway formed between the upper rail or bar G and theupper of the rails or bars F, which latter guideway receives thefriction-wheel 0, upon which the gate is mounted.

Suitably connected .to or formed integral with the forward upright E andthe upper of the bars F is a block F, having a curvilinear edge, asillustrated, for a purpose presently disclosed. Fixedly connected to theside of the gate, approximately at the middle thereof, are two verticalparallel guide-bars I, which extend up to the top longitudinal bar ofthe gate and are designed to receive and guide between them a frictionwheel or gudgeon J, which is loosely mounted upon a lateral stud at,extending from one end of a bar K, which is pivotally connected at itsopposite end to a lateral bracket, as L, connected to and arranged atone side of the vertical standard A. This bar K, as will be presentlydescribed, is

designed to be swung up and down when the gate is to be opened orclosed.

Fixedly connected to the standard A adjacent to the upper end thereofand extending laterally in opposite directions with respect to the gateis a horizontal beam N, to the sides of which are pivotally connectedthe operating-levers M, which are preferably provided adjacent to theirouter ends with depending straps or hand-bars 1), whereby they may bereadily manipulated. The inner ends of the levers M are connected by alink-bar P, which is fixedly connected to one lever and takes looselythrough an eye or staple connected to the other lever, as illustrated,so as to allow a go free movement of the inner ends of said levers inoperation.

Pivotallyconnected at its lower end to a transverse pivot bolt or shaftin, journaled in suitable bearings at the lower end of the stand- 5 ardA and upon the opposite side of the gate with respect to the bar K, is abar R, which is provided at its upper end with a lateral stud 6, uponwhich is loosely mounted or journaled a friction-wheel S, which travelsin the guideway between the-upper bar F and the bar G and is designed totake up into the vertical guideway formed by the branch II to acceleratethe opening of the gate and to hold the same in its open position. Thebar R and the friction-wheel S further serve in practice to support andcarry the gate until the same balances upon the wheel 0. Also pivotallyconnected at its lower end to the shaft m is a brace-bar R,which isconnected at its upper end to the bar R, which it braces and with whichit serves in conjunction to brace the gate. The lower end of thebrace-bar R is held away from the bar R by an angular strap '6, asshown.

R indicates hangers, which are respectively connected in a flexiblemanner to the standard A and to the upper end of the brace-bar R andhave theircontiguous ends flexibly connected together, whereby they willfold when said bar R is swung into an upright position and will limitthe movement of said bar when it is swung down;

Fixedly connected to one side of the standard A are rearwardly-extendingtrack-bars S, between which travels a friction-wheel 'l, which isjournaled upon a stud extending from the rear upright bar E of the gateand is designed to support the rear end of said gate and hold the samein a horizontal position.

Pivotally or flexibly connected at its forward end to one of the leversM is a link U, which is pivotally connected at its rear end to a postfand is designed to prevent lateral play of said levers M duringoperation.

Pivotally connected at its upper end to the connecting-link P of theoperating-levers M and at its lower end to the bar K at an intermediatepoint in the length thereof is a pitman V, which serves to transmitmotion from the said operating-levers to said bar K and in turn to thegate.

In operation it will be readily perceived that when the free ends of thelevers M are depressed the free end of the bar K will be raised, and thefriction-wheel carried thereby will travel up the guideway formed by thebars I and will cause the gate partly to open, when by raising the freeends of said levers the bar K will be lowered in the direction in wh chthe gate opens, and the friction-wheel carried by the said bar willtravel down the guideway formed by the bars R and complete the openingof the gate. To close the gate, the free ends of the operating-leversare first depressed and are then raised. At the first movement of thegate in opening the frictionwheel carried by the bar R will traveltoward the forward end of the gate and will serve to support the sameuntil said gate is balanced upon the wheel 0, when the saidfrictionwheel will take up the vertical guideway at the forward end ofthe gate and the hangers will told, as illustrated in Fig. 1.

From the foregoing it will be perceived that I have provided a gate ofan exceedingly cheap and simple construction, adapted to be opened bythe exercise of very slight efiort.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

1. In a sliding gate, the combination, with the vertical standard, thefriction-wheel journaled thereon, the gate mounted and adapted to slideupon said wheel, the longitudinal and vertical guideways formed in saidgate, and a suitable means for opening and closing the gate, of the barR, pivotally connected at one end and carrying a friction-wheel at itsopposite end adapted to travel in the longitudinal and verticalguideways, and the hangers having their inner ends flexibly connectedand flexibly connected at their outer ends to the standard and the barR, respectively, substantially as specified.

2. In a sliding gate, the combination, with the vertical standard, thefriction-wheel journaled upon said standard, the gate mounted andadapted to slide upon said wheel, the longitudinal and verticalguideways formed in said gate, and a suitable means for opening andclosing the gate, of the bar R, pivotally connected at one end andcarrying a friction-wheel at its opposite end adapted to travel in thelongitudinal and vertical guideways, substantially as and forthe purposeset forth.

3. In a sliding gate, the combination, with the vertical standard, thefriction-wheel journaled thereon, the gate mounted and adapted to slideupon said wheel, the longitudinal and vertical guideways formed in saidgate, the bar R, pivotally connected at one end and carrying afriction-wheel at its opposite end adapted to travel in the longitudinaland vertical guideways of the gate, the hangers having their inner endsflexibly connect-ed and flexibly connected at their outer ends to thestandard and the bar R, respectively, and the vertical guide-barsconnected to the side of the gate adjacent to the middle thereof, of thebar K, pivotally connected at one end and carrying a friction-wheel atits opposite end adapted to travel between the vertical guide-bars ofthe gate, the laterally-extending beam fixed to the upper end of thestandard, the operating-levers pivotally connected to said beam andhaving their inner ends loosely connected,and a pitman intermediate thebar K and the inner ends of the operating-levers, all substantially asand for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN R. MEANS.

Witnesses:

JOHN H. REID, HENRY MoMAeKrN.

IIO

